John grant



(No Model.)

J. GRANT.

LAST SUPPORT.

No. 493,765. Patented Mar. 21, 1893..

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JOHN GRANT, OF WINDSOR, CANADA.

LAST-SUPPORT.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 493,765, dated March21, 1893. Application filed February 2, 1891. Serial No. 379,879. (Nomodel.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, JOHN GRANT, a citizen of the United States, residingat Vindsor, in the Province of Ontario, Canada, have inventeda new anduseful Improvement in Last- Supports, of which the following is aspecification.

This invention relates to supports for lasts and has for its object, alast supporting arm so arranged that it will hold the last so as topresent a boot or shoe placed upon itin any position relative to theworkman; presenting any part of the boot or shoe to be operated upon,and presenting it always at the same height in front of the workman andin practically the same location.

A further object of my invention is to hold the arm supporting the lastsecurely in the position in which it is placed so that it will not bethrown out of position in working about it or striking upon it with theforce usually employed by an operator. I attain these results by meansof the devices shown in the accompanying drawings as hereinafterdescribed.

In the drawings Figure 1 shows an elevation partly in section. Fig. 2shows a detail of the clamp or holding device.

A represents astandard springing from the floor and bearing atits upperextremityabox or journal bearing within which is received the journal 6,of an L shaped arm B; the end of the journal 12 has secured to it aweight W, as shown in the drawings the weight W hasa square socket init, and slips upon'the squared end of the journal I) where it is securedby a pin w.

On the top of the box or journal bearing is a loose piece D restingabove the journal (1, against which it is pressed by a compressionspring cl, and a compression screw d, the compression screw d gettingits bearing from the walls of the dome O, beneath which is thecompression spring d, the clamp D anda washer e. The arm B has two partsone of which always remains horizontal, while the other extendsvertically or in any oblique line from the journal 5 to the horizontalpart of the arm B.

At the end of the horizontal part of the arm B is a second receptaclefor a journal into which is inserted the journal f of the arm F.

The arm F always remains parallel to what may be termed the radial partof the arm B; it may be turned on the journalf in a complete circle, andconsequently presents to the workman any side of the last L borne at itsupper end opposite the axis of the journal I), and the revolution of thearm B on its journal 1), presents to the workman either the top, bottomor sides of the last as may be desired and always practically in theplane of the axis of the journal I). The counterweight W alwayssubstantially balances the arms 13 and F and their connecting mechanism,together with the holding rod and last, in whatever position they may beturned. This enables them to move easily and freely without binding, andit also serves to steady the apparatus when in use. tial bearing of thelast in connection with the rotation of the upright arm F, together withthe freedom of movement and the facility with which the position of thelast may be changed, a solid and immovable support for the last isaiforded under any and all circumstances, whereby the apparatus is muchmore efficient than other devices of a similar character which do notpossess similar qualifications.

The clamp D with the spring d and clamping screw d, enables the workmanto hold the parts in any position in which theymay be placed. Aprecisely similar clamping device may be used between the arm B andthejournalf, or as is shown in the drawings, thejournalf may be slightlyconed and clamped in place by means of the nut N and spring 72. Theupright part of the arm F is hollow and its upper end is fashioned toreceive a tenon Z on the shank of the last L; the shape of the tenon andthe hollow part are immaterial provided the one fits the other withreasonable accuracy. On the tenon Z is an eye 2', within which isreceived a hook on the end of a rod G. The end of the rod G extendsthrough the upright part of the arm F and is terminated with a screw,upon which the nut H is screwed, and by means of the screw and nut H therod G is drawn downward until thelast L is held firmly upon the end ofthe arm F. In place of the screw and not H the rod G may be drawn downmore quickly by the use of a cotter or wedge passing through the eye Bymeans of the circumfereng, and a slot through the walls of the uprightpart of the arm F; the slot in the walls being placed nearly oppositethe eye g, as indicated by the dotted lines. A holding strap S is heldto any convenient point on the horizontal part of the arm F by a springR. The holding strap S serves to hold the work upon the last.

The last L, as shown in the drawings is an iron last but the tenon Z,and eye 01, may be easily attached to a wooden last and a wooden lastcan then be held in the same Way. \Vhen the last L is removed from thearm F, the rod G is drawn out from the interior of F and is utilized todraw the last from the interior of the boot or shoe if desired.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as novel, and desire tohave secured to me by Letters Patent, is-

1. The combination of an upright arm am its support, a rod substantiallycentrally located with reference to said arm provided with a hookadapted to engage the last and hold it upon the upper end of saidupright arm upon a bearing for the last substantially circumferential tosaid rod, means for tightening said rod, and a spring actuated strapadapted to engage said last when in position and hold the work thereon,substantially as described.

2. The combination of an upright arm adapted to be rotated upon abearing which is eccentric to its axial line, the support thereforadapted to be rotated horizontally in an upright fixed standard, acounterweight attached to the axis of said horizontal support, a rodsubstantially centrally located with reference to said arm, providedwith a hook adapted to engage the last and hold it upon the upper end ofsaid upright arm upon a bearing substantially circumferential to saidrod, means for tightening said rod, and a spring actuated strap adaptedto engage said last when in position and hold the work thereon,substantially as described.

JOHN GRANT. In presence of- EFFIE I. CROFT, CHARLES F. BURTON.

